


making amends

by towokuwusatsuwu



Category: Pocket Monsters: Red & Green & Blue & Yellow | Pokemon Red Green Blue Yellow Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Apologies, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Pokemon Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-27
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-08-18 04:43:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8149450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/towokuwusatsuwu/pseuds/towokuwusatsuwu
Summary: Red finds out what happened to Blue's Raticate all those years ago and decides to try to make things right.





	

It seems now as though they were always destined to make it to this point in time, this reality, this final convergence of the paths that had led them to running into each other over and over again. Maybe Red should have been able to pick up the hints from there, considering how many times he and Blue bumped into each other on their journeys to the Pokemon League. He had chalked it up at the time as simple coincidence, since he was bound to run into someone who had left the same time he had, who seemed to have taken the same path to the top he was taking.

 

At the time, it had stung that Blue had always been that much better than him, had always been able to reach the top before him. Red earned his gym badges, but he was always in Blue’s dust because Blue had already been, already succeeded, and already departed for his next location. The adventures they had had together were proof that the two of them were so wildly different and yet so similar, and he supposes that’s how they’ve been able to build whatever this is. The foundation has grown sturdier over the years, or so he’s told him. Maybe it’s always been sturdy.

 

They divide their time between Blue’s home in Viridian, where he watches over his gym diligently and serves as the final challenge for eager trainers looking to become the next champion the same way he once did, and Red’s house on Mount Silver. It’s not the most  _ practical _ of residences, sure, but it helps them to have a little place to get away to every once in awhile, and Giovanni once abandoned his gym. Blue taking a break every now and then doesn’t hurt.

 

This morning is another morning spent on Mount Silver, the snow outside of the window glowing beneath the moonlight. It’s still dark out, because Red is used to early mornings when he’s up here and because watching a sunrise from his front porch over the vast expanse of white is always beautiful. Blue is still asleep, of course, and Red had made sure to tuck the blankets in a little tighter around him to make sure his partner did not grow cold in his absence from their bed. It’s the little things, the displays of consideration he uses to make sure Blue knows he cares.

 

This morning, then, it’s just him and Pikachu at the breakfast table, Pikachu picking bits of food off of the plate in front of him and making contented noises as he eats. Red chuckles softly and stretches a hand out, ruffling the Pokemon’s bright yellow fur and grinning when Pikachu closes his eyes and pushes up into the touch. They’ve been in sync since he was ten years old and caught the electric mouse in the first place, just as in sync as he’s been with Charizard, and that kind of bond is almost unheard of. Most trainers bond tightest with their starter Pokemon, but he’s had people his entire life telling him that he’s different, that he’s special.

 

It’s not something he’s ever really bought into. He just happens to be a great trainer, and there are always trainers out there who are bound to become better than he is.

 

“ _ Why _ are you up this early?” The voice, still soft and blurry from sleep, makes his lips twitch upward as he glances from his Pikachu to the kitchen doorway. Blue is still in his pajama pants and the baggy t-shirt he wears to bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. “It isn’t fair, you know. I don’t even last that much longer without you in bed with me.”

 

“You lasted an hour. That was pretty good for you.” Red pushes himself out of his seat, leaving his mug of tea behind, to pull his boyfriend into his arms. Blue hasn’t fully woken up yet, is still tired enough that instead of scoffing and pushing Red away, he just melts into his arms, his head tucked up under Red’s chin. “I at least made enough tea for both of us. Do you want some?”

 

“Yeah.” Blue heaves a sigh and straightens up, pecking Red on the cheek before taking a seat at the table, giving Pikachu a companionable pat on the head. The two of them hadn’t gotten along so well at first, having the same rivalry as Red and Blue with none of the background. “Thanks.”

 

Red chuckles softly and retrieves another mug from the cabinet, pouring some tea into it and bringing it to his boyfriend, dropping a kiss on top of his head before returning to his own seat. “No problem,” he says, pulling his own mug closer to him. “You’re up early enough to watch the sunrise with me.”

 

Blue hums at him and lifts his mug to his lips, and Red turns his attention back toward the kitchen window that will spill the room full of natural sunlight once the sun peeks over the horizon. They have a nice life here, he thinks. The peace and quiet has been soothing for both of them considering they spent so much time traveling the world, then spent an extra amount of time with cameras pointing into their faces as their names had become somewhat infamous with Red taking down Team Rocket and capturing Mewtwo in the process.

 

“I thought we could pay your grandpa a visit sometime soon,” Red says, noting the way Blue furrows his eyebrows at him. “I know, I know. But he asks after you still, you know.”

 

“I know.” Blue huffs. “I guess it wouldn’t  _ hurt. _ He likes to check on our Pokemon, anyway.”

 

Red nods in agreement. Oak has been nothing but diligent about checking up on their Pokemon for them, and considering he knows these Pokemon almost as well as he knows his own, that doesn’t surprise Red in the least. But that reminds him of something Oak has asked last time…

 

He clears his throat and glances at Blue. “Actually, he was asking me about your Raticate.”

 

Blue’s eyes dart up from his mug and the expression on his face changes, his brows smoothing out but the corners of his mouth tugging down. “My Raticate,” he says slowly, and something in his voice is… Off. Red doesn’t know what he’s said to cause this sudden change in demeanor. All he knows is that Blue boxed that Raticate a long time ago. He hasn’t seen her since the S. S. Anne.

 

“Yeah. I guess he just wants to see how it is. You haven’t used it in a long time, right?” Red pushes himself up again, retrieving the loaf of bread on the counter and popping a couple of pieces into the toaster. He’s not  _ hungry, _ per se, but he knows better than to start off a day without eating anything. “I haven’t seen it since we battled on the ship. You boxed her, I guess?”

 

“No, I… I didn’t. I thought you might have been able to guess why I didn’t use her anymore.” Blue’s voice has taken on an edge that makes Red turn around, dragging his teeth across his lower lip in confusion. Was it something he said, or is Blue  _ still _ upset about the loss?

 

Red shakes his head slowly, and he thinks Blue might actually be on the verge of becoming angry with him until he sees something in his boyfriend’s face change. Blue sighs softly and closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, and takes a slow, deep breath that causes his chest to rise and fall. Red isn’t the only one who’s noticed the distinct change in him; Pikachu’s ears twitch, his tail waving slowly through the air in a fashion that conveys his concern.

 

“You were ten. I should have realized you might not have been able to connect the dots. And I know I never told you to your face.” Blue leans back in his chair, his hands disappearing beneath the table as he fixes Red with an unwavering gaze. “We fought on the S. S. Anne and that was the last place I had her, right? You remember that, don’t you?”

 

Red nods. “Yeah, of course. I remember almost all of our bodies together.” Which isn’t quite true, because he  _ does _ remember all of them. But the last thing he wants to do is bring that up right now when Blue is looking at him like that. “And then you never used her again. I’d remember.”

 

“Right. Because we both used basically the first few Pokemon we caught. That bond between trainer and Pokemon and all.” Blue nods slowly, running a hand through his hair. “Now, I want you to think very carefully. Where was the next place you saw me? After the ship?”

 

“I don’t have to think about it. It was in Lavender Town. After I got the Silph Scope and I was on my way to figuring out what was going on with the ghost at the top of the Tower.” Red remembers that like it was yesterday, the tragic story of the Marowak who just wanted to protect her baby.

 

Blue stares at him for so long that Red assumes he must have missed something obvious in this story, so he holds up a hand to get a moment to think and lets his mind wander back. Blue had been in the Tower, of course, because they had run into each other before Blue had left. There had been no battle that time, just a conversation and his own observation that Blue looked more worn and tired than he had the last time the two of them had battled. Red still doesn’t know why he was  _ in _ the Tower, of course, because he walked away before Red could properly ask.

 

But what did any of that have to do with his Raticate?

 

“I love you, so I’m going to spell this out for you instead of getting angry because you aren’t putting two and two together. You’re still too much of an optimist.” Blue shakes his head, a wistful little smile playing on his lips, and something about the sight of that makes Red’s stomach clench. “I was at Lavender Town because I had to bury my Raticate. She didn’t make it off the ship.”

 

Red’s stomach  _ lurches _ at the words and he feels bile rise up the back of his throat; even Pikachu makes a startled little noise. “I… Blue, I’m so sorry. I’m… I’m such an idiot, I had no idea—”

 

“I didn’t tell you. I didn’t tell anyone, not even Gramps. I got her to the Pokemon Center, but she was already past the point of no return.” Blue sighs and folds his hands behind his head, his expression softening. “I thought about telling you when you walked up to me, but I didn’t think I could hurt you like that, and I knew it would hurt. So I just kept it to myself.”

 

Red slumps against the kitchen counter, ducking his head a little. “You should have.”

 

“No, I shouldn’t have.” Blue pushes himself away from the table and comes to stand in front of Red. “Hey, look at me. It’s okay. That was years ago. I’m all right now. Really.”

 

“Too strong for your own good. Now I know why you were so pissed at me.” Red shakes his head, reaches out to take Blue’s hands in his, squeezing them tight.

 

Blue hums, bumps their foreheads together gently. “In my defense, I was going through the stages of grief when I was ten. I didn’t know how to do anything but be angry for a while.”

 

“I’m not blaming you. You had every right to be mad at me. I would have been mad at me, and I never stay angry at anyone for long.” Red lifts his head, searching Blue’s eyes and seeing nothing like anger or disgust there. No lingering upset for what he had unknowingly done.

 

“She was a good Pokemon, and it’s just as much my fault. I should have taken better care of her, not pushed her so hard.” Blue shrugs, nuzzles against his cheek. “Don’t tell Gramps, though.”

 

Red doesn’t argue with that request; Professor Oak and his grandson have never quite seen eye to eye and Oak has been downright rude sometimes, so Red can understand why Blue doesn’t want him to know. That might have been a decade ago but he wouldn’t put it past Oak to try to lecture Blue just the same. Besides, it’s as much Red’s fault as his, and maybe more so. He’d taken their rivalry so serious for so many years that he can’t possibly imagine  _ not _ taking some responsibility for the battle that had led to Blue’s Raticate dying.

 

“And you never caught another one? Or even a Rattata?” Red can’t remember seeing Blue battle with one, and he’d like to think he’d know at this point in time.

 

Blue shrugs. “Never really wanted to. Now… Maybe. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll head down to Route One and catch myself a Rattata one day. But I’m not worried about it now.”

 

Red nods and lets go of Blue’s hands so he can wrap his arms around him, pulling him close against his chest in an embrace far stronger than the one they had shared in the doorway. Maybe he’s just being melodramatic considering the fact Blue seems perfectly over it, but he can’t help but feel like he  _ owes _ Blue something, some small token to show him how sorry he is.

 

“I’ll just tell him I traded her away for something so he doesn’t ask after her anymore.” Blue runs his fingers through Red’s hair in a way that’s probably meant to be very comforting, and it’s a sweet gesture. “Come on. I still want to watch the sunrise with you.”

 

“Of course.” Red forces a smile he doesn’t feel and follows Blue back to the table. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Pikachu’s ears lower.

 

Yeah. He feels that way, too.

 

* * *

 

The Global Trade System is far from a perfect system, and Red scoffs softly to himself as he studies the requests people are making for very basic Pokemon. The operation of breeding starters has seen a rise in demand lately, what with the popularity of the Kalos and Alola starters, but he isn’t interested in any of them right now. He’s toyed with the idea of trading for some of them later down the line, but he’s on a mission right now. The fact Blue has ties to his gym in Viridian and Red’s own desire to stay in Kanto have kept them from traveling abroad very much, other than the occasional trips to Slateport and Sunnyside for vacations, and they haven’t been to Alola at all. All they’ve done is read about the Alolan forms of the Pokemon who live there.

 

It had been something he had little knowledge about until Professor Oak’s cousin, Samson, had journeyed to Alola just to learn about these Pokemon. Hours of research had turned up several Kanto Pokemon migrating to Alola, only for their forms to change as the years did so they could adapt to live in the different climate. Pikachu had been very intrigued about the Alola Raichu.

 

“You want a  _ Lugia _ for your Chespin?” Red rolls his eyes. “Pikachu, can you believe this crap?”

 

Pikachu bounces up into his lap to look and Red rubs the Pokemon between his ears as he continues searching the database. It’s only been recently connected to Alola but as far as he can tell, there  _ are _ Alolan Pokemon in the system. He just has to find the right one.

 

Most of them, predictably, are starters or other Pokemon native to only Alola, something that someone would want if they couldn’t visit the region themselves. Red has already heard about the complaints of the Alolan form Kanto Pokemon, especially when people here in Kanto view the Pokemon they already have as “better” or view the new typings as “dumb.” It’s useless to him to complain, because ice Vulpix and Sandrew sound cool to him, but he isn’t doing this for him right now. Sighing, he pulls up the search filters and enters a few specifications, keeping his fingers crossed that Rattatas are  _ just _ invasive enough in Alola that someone has thought to start catching them and throwing them into the GTS to help decrease their population.

 

When he finally sees one up for trade, he clicks on it immediately. “She’s a lot bigger than Blue’s Rattata was,” he muses, checking over her stats, “but someone raised her really well so far.”

 

“Pika,” Pikachu says, nodding in agreement before looking up at him.

 

Red pulls up the requested trade Pokemon and relaxes a little; an Alakazam. That’s  _ probably _ a little unfair given the fact that Raticates are sure to be in abundance in Alola while Abras are hard enough to catch just because they never stay in the same place, but this price isn’t too high for him, so he heads for the PC in the corner of the Pokemon Center to retrieve his Alakazam.

 

He and Blue hadn’t talked about the Raticate situation since that morning, other than Blue admitted later in the night he wouldn’t mind having a Raticate again and would look into catching one the next time he had a break from the gym. Red had taken that and decided to run with it; after all, they’d never been to Alola, so this should be a good present, right?

 

He could always skip the pretense and just trade for a Raticate, but this way, Blue can start off with a Rattata and they can bond the way he had with his old Raticate. This Rattata is still relatively low-levelled and from the looks of her stats, she might have been bred to be a champion Pokemon. And she’s a dark type, and if that isn’t just the  _ coolest _ thing.

 

There are no dark types native to Kanto, only those who eventually migrated in when conditions existed that made it possible for them to do so, so a dark type Rattata should be an exciting challenge for Blue. Dark types are also known to be strong Pokemon, and he loves strong Pokemon just about more than anything else. His Pokemon are so strong that he was able to wipe the floor with the Elite Four, something that Red still thinks about to this day, because he’d had a little more trouble with them in the end. Blue had been a challenge, too, of course. Blue has  _ always _ been a challenge. His Pokemon are just that powerful.

 

It only takes a few minutes to set up the trade, sending out the request and waiting for the computer to process it, setting the Pokeball containing his Alakazam into the transporter when he’s prompted to do so. He watches, mesmerized, as the Pokeball disappears shortly after, only to be replaced with a Dusk Ball. Unsurprising, and he quietly retrieves it from the transporter, studying its surface before pocketing it and standing. Pikachu jumps up and Red catches him, transferring the electric mouse to his shoulder before leaving the Pokemon Center and starting the short walk to the Viridian Gym. There have been a lot of challengers today.

 

A lot of them lost, too. Red had been in the Center long enough to hear the trainers coming in with their Pokemon, talking about how they’d been defeated by Blue. He hasn’t lost his touch.

 

Red waves a hand to the trainers in the gym as he walks past them; they all know who he is at this point and know he isn’t here for an official challenge. He’s just in time to watch Blue shake the hand of a trainer whose slumped shoulders and bowed head would suggest that she just lost.

 

A lot of trainers lose to Blue. Last time Red had checked, Blue has one of the highest win records where prospective trainers are concerned; most of the trainers who come out victorious do so on their second time battling him, or sometimes later. Red always thought that was pretty special, because a lot of trainers have high-level Pokemon once they reach the last gym.

 

“Hey, Red,” Blue says once the trainer steps away from him, idly tossing a Pokeball up and down in the air. Red recognizes the sticker stuck to the top of the ball; it’s Blastoise. “I didn’t expect to see you showing up here today, figured you’d go see Gramps and your mom while you had the chance. Or are we going to do that tonight when I close the gym?”

 

“Tonight,” Red says, chuckling when Pikachu rubs his head against Red’s cheek. “Pikachu’s always excited to get to go home and see Mom, but we figured we’d wait up on you. Besides, I have a present for you when we get back to Pallet Town. I just hope you like it.”

 

Blue cocks his head at him, a small smile playing on his lips. “Oh?” he asks, stretching his arms over his head. “I can’t wait to see what it is. You’re pretty good at gift giving.”

 

The sound of the gym doors opening against has Red’s head swiveling to see another trainer stepping into the gym, and he takes a seat with his back to the wall behind Blue to watch. More than a few times, he’s sat in on the battles between Blue and the trainers looking to gain the Earth Badge. He still has his tucked away in his case, the hardest gym battle he’d had to fight.

 

“Pi,” Pikachu says, nudging his hat to get his attention.

 

“It wouldn’t be a good idea to give him the Rattata here. He’s got a trainer walking in, he has a job to do,” Red says, gesturing as the new trainer steps in front of the first gym trainer.

 

“...Ka.” Pikachu nods and slips down from his shoulder to sit in his lap, making a contented noise when Red starts scratching from between the ears, his cheeks crackling gently.

 

“You two going to sit there and watch?” Blue asks, glancing over his shoulder, pausing in his Pokeball tossing to switch it out with a different one. Pidgeot, probably.

 

“Yep.” Red beams up at him. “We’ll hang out here until you’re ready to go to Pallet. There’s nothing else we gotta do around Viridian, already took care of everything. Didn’t we, Pikachu?”

 

“Pika.” Pikachu nuzzles up under Red’s hand and he gets the message, returning to giving the yellow mouse a good scratch behind the ears. He’s recovered from the slump the news about Blue’s Raticate had put him in, too. Red is glad to see that.

 

Blue grins and winks at him before turning around to see the progress the trainer is making on getting through the gym. Red watches, too, pausing in his scratching of Pikachu to transfer the Dusk Ball to his bag to make sure nothing happens to it on the bike ride back to Pallet. Hopefully, Blue is going to like the Rattata. Red just hopes he’s gone and done the right thing.

 

The trainer progresses well through the gym but meets a stumbling block in Blue. Despite his best efforts, Blue’s Pokemon are just a little stronger and a little faster. Blastoise ends up laying waste to the kid’s Typhlosion and he sighs as he calls his Pokemon back to its ball.

 

“Don’t be disappointed,” Blue says, clasping the kid’s hand. “You did great. Come back tomorrow.”

 

“Thanks.” The kid smiles a little at the words and Red feels a familiar warmth fill his chest. Blue has come a long way from the arrogant, cocky kid who thought he was better than everyone.

 

They close up the gym for the evening and retrieve their bikes to head back home. This close, they don’t bother with using their Pokemon for transportation. It’s kind of nice to just bike around Kanto, too, something Red hasn’t done since he was on his first journey as a trainer.

 

His mom is glad to see him, of course, and equally glad to see Blue. They drop in on Blue’s parents, too, long enough for him to catch up with them for a bit. Red hangs in the background mostly, humming to himself as he looks at the pictures on the wall.

 

When they finally return to his house, Red tucks his bag securely between his bed and his nightstand, settling under the comforter with Blue, wrapping his body around the other boy’s from behind and planting a kiss on his shoulder. He’s going to give him the Pokemon first thing in the morning, maybe even before breakfast, because he can only imagine Blue insisting they can eat breakfast  _ after _ he goes out to find a Rattata. Early bird gets the worm and whatnot.

 

Blue falls asleep faster than he does, exhausted from a long day of battling, and Red hums softly in his ear as his eyes begin to slip closed. Hopefully, he can right the wrong he did all those years ago and show Blue just how sorry he really is after all.

 

* * *

 

Of course, Blue is asleep when Red wakes up. He always is, and after a long day at the gym, he’s even more exhausted. Red chuckles softly, kisses the back of his neck, and sits up in bed.

 

Across the room, Pikachu is curled up on his personal bed, one that is positioned so the morning sunlight falls across it. When he sees Red moving, Pikachu’s ears perk up.

 

Silently, Red lifts a finger to his lips so Pikachu will know to be quiet, then points to his bag. Pikachu, of course, nods and creeps over to the bag to retrieve the Dusk Ball.

 

With agile grace, Pikachu hops onto the bed, the shrunken Dusk Ball held securely in his yellow paws. Red takes the ball with a smile and pats Pikachu on the head, then lets the mouse hop up onto his shoulder, which is pretty much where Pikachu belongs at this point.

 

“All right,” Red murmurs, leaning back against the wall, “let’s wait until he wakes up.”

 

“Pi,” Pikachu murmurs, leaning his head against Red’s and falling quiet.

 

It takes Blue a while to realize Red has woken up, but far less time than up on the mountain, which says something, Red thinks. He starts to stir before rolling onto his back and blinking his eyes open slowly, feathering his lashes over his eyes to keep from getting blinded.

 

Another couple of minutes pass by and his head tilts, his eyes finding where Red is sitting and a small smile touching his lips. He pushes himself up, stretching his arms over his head before running a hand through his ruffled hair. It’s a lovely sight this early in the morning and Red chuckles, curling his fingers around the Dusk Ball.  _ Please let this work. _

 

“What’s that?” Blue asks, eyeing the Dusk Ball curiously. When Red holds it out to him, his expression shifts and realization dawns in his eyes. “This is my present, isn’t it? A Pokemon?”

 

Red nods silently and waits for Blue to take the Dusk Ball from his hands, swallowing around a nervous lump in his throat. The room is silent as Blue turns the Dusk Ball around in his hand for a few minutes before clicking the button to expand the size, then giving the ball a little toss to the end of the bed. It’s enough of a toss to activate the ball, opening and spilling a bright red light onto the bed. A moment later, that light materializes into a Rattata.

 

He’s only seen Alolan form Pokemon on computer screens, never in person, and it’s very odd to look at this Rattata. The dark gray coloring, the ragged firm around her stomach, and the tufts of fur on her ears and tail, and the tufts on her face instead of long whiskers… It’s strange to see, like an interpretation rather than a real thing. It’s kind of cool in its own way, too.

 

Blue stares at her for a good few minutes, his expression indecipherable, and Red is  _ certain _ he might have made a mistake until Blue leans down to pick the Rattata up. She seems perfectly content with being picked up, too, settling in the crook of his arm and peering up at him, her tail curling around his wrist. She makes an inquisitive sound up at him, closing her eyes when he scratches behind one of her ears. Well, at least they  _ like _ each other, right?

 

“This is my surprise?” Blue looks up from the Rattata in his arms to meet Red’s eyes, and there’s something raw and open in his gaze that makes Red flush and fight not to drop eye contact. “Did you get her through GTS? You had to. That’s what you were doing yesterday, wasn’t it?”

 

“Yeah. Would have been a lot harder to go to Alola and catch a Rattata myself.” Red shrugs, rubbing behind his neck as his nerves take over. “After what I did, it was the least I could do.”

 

Blue’s eyes soften. “You were ten years old,” he says softly, shaking his head. “We both made mistakes back then. You didn’t have to go to the trouble of doing this for me.”

 

“That’s the thing, though. I know I didn’t  _ have _ to do this. You weren’t still mad at me or anything, you said you were over it. And I believe you.” Red watches the way Blue smoothes his fingers through the Rattata’s fur and can’t help grinning. “But I wanted to do it for you. I  _ wanted _ to, Blue. Because you’re my boyfriend, and it was the least I could do for you.”

 

Blue doesn’t set the Rattata down; rather, he wraps a hand around the back of Red’s neck and pulls him into a kiss, knocking Pikachu off of his shoulder and onto the comforter in the process. Red hums softly against his lips, fingers finding Blue’s face and cupping just beneath his jaw. They stay like that for just a moment, lost in their little kiss, before Blue pulls away. There’s a light in his eyes that’s new and Red feels a little thrill at having been the one to put it there.

 

It was the least he could do, after all.


End file.
